- Toyota is heading in an unexpectedly sporty direction with its flagship Century brand.
- The brand will show a two-door coupe concept at this month’s Japan Mobility Show.
- An SUV-like ride height and sliding doors are unusual for the luxury coupe class.
The Toyota Century, Japan’s ultimate chauffeured limo, just threw on a pair of designer sneakers. The automaker has dropped a handful of teaser shots and a short video showing a Century coupe, a sleek, high-riding two-door fastback set to make its debut later this month at the Japan Mobility Show. And nope, we didn’t have “sporty Century” on our 2025 bingo card, either. This one’s a total surprise.
From what we can see, this isn’t your typical low-slung GT. The coupe sits tall, like a crossover, and has a blocky SUV-like nose. Instead of traditional doors, it appears to rock sliding doors – yes, like a minivan’s – on the passenger side, and there’s no visible B-pillar breaking up that graceful side profile. Even stranger, the driver’s door appears to open conventionally. It’s all a bit mysterious, and we’re guessing that’s exactly what Toyota wants.
Related: Toyota Century Rumors Heat Up As Brand Could Split And Go Global
Some reports have suggested it might have a centrally-mounted driver’s seat, but we think that’s unlikely. It would only work if part of the floor dropped out of the way to help you access the driver’s seat, or the seat motored to the door aperture to meet you. Having to clamber across 2ft (600 mm) of floorpan to get to the captain’ chair might be acceptable in a McLaren F1 but it wouldn’t work in a businessman’s express.
The front end features a Century phoenix badge, set in a not-quite-closed-off grille, maybe hinting there’s still an engine under there, possibly a 3.5-liter V6 hybrid setup like the Century SUV or a V8 hybrid combo from the sedan. The taillights stretch wide and dramatic, while the fastback shape suggests Toyota’s designers were having a particularly bold day at the office, delighted that they were allowed to head off-piste with their Century ideas. They even junked the back window, Polestar-style.
Officially, Toyota calls it a “one of one”, which sounds a lot like “don’t get your checkbooks out just yet.” It might be a pure design statement rather than a production preview, or a bespoke product for a wealthy client showing the customization abilities of the brand.
More: Lexus LS Flagship Evolves Into A Six-Wheeled Minivan
But then again, Toyota did just expand the Century name beyond sedans for the first time with its SUV, so maybe this coupe is another sign that the brand’s most exclusive badge is going global.
Whether it’s a high-end experiment or a genuine halo car in the making, one thing’s clear: Toyota knows there’s plenty of untapped potential in the Century brand. We’ll find out how wild it really gets when the coupe is unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show later this month.